Regarding e835 vs e935, there is a world of difference between the two. The e935 has much more detail and clarity. Recently A/B'ed them during a jam session and the choice was unanimous for the 935 being the better sounding mic.

- I'm now used to the Beta 87a's and I can work with them.- I'm still happy with SM58's and SM86's, but prefer 86's if given the choice of the three.- I'm now disliking the e835, very boxy sounding/muddy imo, could be just me.So is the e935 that much different? Is it like the Beta58a to the SM58?Anyone got opinions with e865 also?

I'm looking into some Beta 87a's for a annual bluegrass festival that I work. Some of the bands have really poor mic technique, or want to sit several feet away from the vocal mic. Even after our stage tech moves it up where it should be, they move it back. Most aren't this extreme but many seem to want to sing a foot or so away from the mic. We currently use Beta 58a's for the vocals, and SM81's for the instruments.

Do the Beta 87a's work well with wedges, or is it more of a mic for bands using in-ear monitoring? I don't want to buy 6 of them, only to find them not usable in this situation.

Regarding b87a on monitors: I have several, and i find them quite easy goin' on d&b max15 and RCF TT25 CXA. As with all hypers you should place the monitor(s) on a 60 degree angle to the mic. I find the b87a a very good 'budget' condensor. It's my goto for female voices. You do need an HPF though. Also wind noise can be a problem. It is still a hypercardiod, so a big proximity effect. Maybe the b87c is the better option here, but i am sure ( there are better options for your intended use.

Regarding the 935: After several gigs i am still not convinced it is a better mic than a b58, especially with 'screamers'. It is (a lot) better than the 835, but still has a sort of smiley face freq response. Take out some hf, and it sounds dull. Take out some lf, and it sounds thin. This makes it hard on dynamic performances imho.

Try SM86's instead of B87's, at least one. I prefer them, and they happen to cost less.

Another vote for the SM86. I own 6 of them expressly for bluegrass/folk/acoustic events.

I auditioned all of the 87 variations and like the 86 the best. I abhor Beta Everything with the exception of the Beta57a. I own Beta52 because they're on riders. The rest sound odd to me and frequently harsh, brittle or 'crunchy' (with or without ketchup, Brian!).

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